Women's Softball - Our Coaches

Head Coach - Darci Brownell

DARCI BROWNELL is beginning her ninth season as the Wolverines Head Coach after serving 2 seasons as an assistant. In 2002 she helped guide the team to a Nor Cal Championship and a top 2 finish in Northern California with a record of 40-9. The Wolverines made a trip to the “Elite Eight State Softball Championships.” In eight seasons as the Wolverines head coach her record is 304-90 with two trips to the Elite Eight State Championships and six trips to the State Playoffs.

Her experience includes 10 years at the high school level where she led Del Camp High School to the playoffs six times. Four of her teams were CAL League Champions, and she was Coach of the Year in 1993. Her overall record at the Varsity level was 139-26. Darci compete at C.S.U. Sacramento for four years at the catching and outfield positions. She also played ASA summer ball for the Nor-Cal Tremors. She received her B.A. degree from C.S.U.S. in Childhood Development with a minor in Physical Education. She has a Master's in Education and Curriculum.
916-660-8110, dbrownell@sierracollege.edu

Assistant Coach - Rich Murray

RICH MURRAY is in his ninth season as an assistant coach at Sierra College. He joined the staff after 2 years as Head Coach and 3 years as as assistant coach at Del Campo High School. He has coached various A.S.A. travel teams in Sacramento for the past eight years.

As a graduate of C.S.U. Sacramento he earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration and a B.A. degree in Recreation Administration. He currently lives and works in Carmichael and has a daughter who played softball and graduated from the University of Tennessee.

Assistant Coach - Jim Wetzel

JIM WETZEL is in his fifth season working with the Wolverines softball team. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the program. Jim has played fastpitch softball for twenty-five years. Besides playing softball, Jim has coached at a high level for 13 years. During that time he worked with California Breeze, Hot Styx, Casa Robles High and San Juan high school. As a coach Jim has won numerous section and tournament championships.

Jim has four daughters - Jennifer, Kati, Shelli and Casey. Throughout his coaching career he has coached many elite softball players like Andrea Vidlund-Oregon, Kristen Allen-UOP, Ashley Nunes-University of San Diego, Annie Stevens- University of Nevada, Reno and Taylor Sawyer- University of Central Florida.

Jim will be working with the infielders and hitters this season. Jim is an asset to the Wolverine softball program.

Assistant Coach - Kate Dalizu

KATE DALIZU will be working with the pitchers and catchers this season. This will be her second time assisting under Darci Brownell at Sierra College, as she was part of the 2005 coaching staff. Prior to coaching at Sierra, Kate coached at Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island. She spent one year there as the assistant where she helped the team get to the playoffs. She also spent one season at the University of Rhode Island as a volunteer assistant working with the outfielders and the pitching staff. Before coaching, Kate competed for two years at Sierra College and received a scholarship to attend Athens State University. She graduated in 2007 from the University of Rhode Island with a bachelors of Science in Kinesiology. She has one daughter, Madilyn and her husband Donald, is currently serving our country in Iraq.